Nepalese ex-rebel chief eyes comeback

THE leader of Nepal’s former Maoist rebel movement looked set yesterday for a comeback as prime minister after the main opposition party gave him its backing to head a new coalition.

A day after KP Sharma Oli quit as premier ahead of his likely defeat in a no-confidence motion, the Nepali Congress and the Maoists confirmed they were in talks on forming an administration led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Better known by his nom de guerre Prachanda (Nepali for “the fierce one”), Dahal led a decadelong insurgency in which around 16,000 people lost their lives.

In 2006 he emerged from hiding to sign a peace deal with mainstream parties that paved the way for the abolition of the world’s last Hindu monarchy and his own rise to power via the ballot box.

Dahal became Nepal’s first elected premier in August 2008 but his government collapsed nine months later in a row over the integration of former Maoist fighters into the army, a key tenet of the peace process.

His decision to withdraw support for Oli has now opened up the path for his own return to the premiership, with the Nepali Congress pledging support.

“We are in consultations for the formation of a new government . . . Dahal will be the next prime minister, with us playing an important role,” senior Nepali Congress leader Minendra Rijal said. There was no immediate reaction from Dahal but a Maoist spokeswoman, Pampha Bhusal, said efforts would be made to bring others on board.